The Boston orchestra is playing Beethoven’s Ninth.
In the piece, there’s a long passage (about 20 minutes) where the double basses have nothing to play.
Rather than sit around feeling stupid and useless for 20 minutes, the two bassists decide that they will sneak out, go to the pub across the street, and grab a pint.
After a few beers, one of them looks at his watch and says they should head back.
The other one laughs and says they have some time.
“No need to panic, I thought we might need the extra time, so I tied the last few pages of the conductors score together with string. It should take him a few minutes to get it untangled.”
A few minutes later, they stagger back into the orchestra line.
About this time, an audience member notices that the conductor looks flustered, and points it out to her companion.
“Well of course he is flustered”, says her friend.
“It’s the bottom of the ninth, the score is tied, and the bassists are loaded!”
